She's Always a Woman

"She's Always a Woman"
A-side label of U.S. vinyl single
Single by Billy Joel
from the album The Stranger
B-side"Vienna"
ReleasedApril 1978
StudioA & R Recording Inc. (New York City)
GenrePop rock[1]
Length3:21
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Billy Joel
Producer(s)Phil Ramone
Billy Joel singles chronology
"Only the Good Die Young"
(1977) 		"She's Always a Woman"
(1978) 		"The Stranger"
(1978)

"She's Always a Woman" is a song by Billy Joel from his 1977 album, The Stranger. The single peaked at No. 17 in the U.S. in Oct. 1978, [2] and at No. 53 in the UK in 1986, when it was released as a double A-side with "Just the Way You Are". It re-entered the UK chart in 2010, reaching No. 29.

Background

It is a love song about a woman whom the singer has fallen totally in love with to the extent of falling for her endearing quirks as well as her flaws.

Joel wrote the song for his then-wife, Elizabeth Weber. Weber had taken over management of Joel's career, and was able to put his financial affairs in order after Joel had signed some bad deals and contracts.[3] The two eventually divorced in 1982.

Composition

Joel has said that he was influenced by Gordon Lightfoot and his mellow acoustic guitar ballads. He stated in an interview that he was attempting to replicate the fingerpicking common in folk guitar music.[4] He accomplishes this by playing arpeggiated triads in the right hand. He also notes that the production was purposely minimal to capture the purity of the tune as a folk song.

Joel claims that the meter of the song is 6/8. This splits each measure into two full triad ascending arpeggios. The song is in the key of E♭ major. It begins with singing over the chords each played without the arpeggio in the first verse, each chord lasting a full measure. In the second verse he begins arpeggiating, with each chord again lasting a full measure.

The choruses are in the relative minor of E♭ major, which is C minor. In the second part of each chorus Joel switches to the parallel minor of E♭ minor before returning to verse. The song features mellotron flutes, the only time Joel used this instrument in his career.

Reception

Billboard described "She's Always a Woman" as a "dramatic ballad."[5] Billboard particularly praised the "subtle orchestration" and "sophisticated melody," which it found comparable to ballads by Bob Dylan and Paul Simon.[5] Cash Box said that "the tune is melodic and flows sweetly; the lyric is precise and has something to say" and praised Joel's singing.[6] Record World said that "it is much like a [natural] progression of the message in 'Just the Way You Are' and should pick up immediate pop and adult airplay."[7]

Jack Taliercio footage

A Muzak version of "She's Always a Woman" can be heard playing in the background of a video recorded by a WNYW news crew with camera operator Jack Taliercio in the Austin J. Tobin Plaza of the World Trade Center complex in New York City on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, after two commercial airliners hijacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists were deliberately flown into each of the Twin Towers as part of a large-scale terrorist attack. The soundtrack dissonance of the song playing amidst falling debris and the noise of the blaze in the environment of the two burning skyscrapers was viewed as "surreal".[8]

Track listing

7-inch single (1977)

  1. "She's Always a Woman"
  2. "Vienna"

Single (CBS)

  1. "She's Always a Woman"
  2. "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)"

Japanese 7-inch single

  1. "She's Always a Woman"
  2. "Only the Good Die Young"

Charts

Chart (1978) Peak
position
Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)[9] 28
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 12
Canadian AC Chart[11] 7
Dutch Top 40[12] 15
US Billboard Hot 100[13] 17
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[14] 2
Chart (1986) Peak
position
Irish Singles Chart 22
UK Singles Chart 53
Chart (2010) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 29
Chart (2011) Peak
position
Austrian Singles Chart[15] 37

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[17] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Fyfe Dangerfield cover

"She's Always a Woman"
Single by Fyfe Dangerfield
from the album Fly Yellow Moon
ReleasedMay 10, 2010
Length3:14
Label
Songwriter(s)Billy Joel
Producer(s)Adam Noble
Fyfe Dangerfield singles chronology
"Faster Than the Setting Sun"
(2010) 		"She's Always a Woman"
(2010) 		"Barricades"
(2010)

Fyfe Dangerfield, lead singer of the band Guillemots, recorded a version of this song in 2010 which was used in an advertisement for the British department store John Lewis.[18] Subsequently, the Billy Joel original re-entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 29 on May 1, 2010. On May 1, 2010, a new version of the advert aired; which shows more of the song cover. In the annual ITV poll for 2010 advert of the year; "John Lewis – She's always a Woman" ranked fourth.

The advert has been viewed on YouTube over 570,000 times (collectively from the top 3 results) since it aired on TV.[19]

Chart performance

"She's Always a Woman" debuted on the UK Singles Chart on May 2, 2010, at No. 99. On its second week in the chart, the single climbed 85 places to No. 14, marking Dangerfield's most successful single to date. On May 16, 2010, the single climbed seven places to its peak of No. 7 before falling to No. 9 in its second week within the top 10.

Track listing

Digital download[20]

  1. "She's Always a Woman" – 3:14

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2010) Peak
position
Scotland (OCC)[21] 8
UK Singles (OCC)[22] 7

Year-end charts

Chart (2010) Position
UK Singles (OCC)[23] 116

References

  1. ^ "POP MUSIC REVIEW : BILLY JOEL ON BRINK OF BEING 'INNOCENT MAN'?". Los Angeles Times. November 24, 1986. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  2. ^ "US Top 40 Singles Week Ending 14th October, 1978," at https://top40weekly.com/1978-all-charts/
  3. ^ "Billy Joel's many songs about his many wives". Washington Post. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  4. ^ "Billy Joel - Discusses writing - She's Always a Woman". YouTube. January 4, 2018. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. July 29, 1978. p. 78. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  6. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 29, 1978. p. 20. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  7. ^ "Record World Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. July 29, 1978. p. 36. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  8. ^ "Joseph Kellard's story on a news cameraman who captured the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11".
  9. ^ "Billy Joel - She's Always A Woman". Ultratop.be. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  10. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0026a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  11. ^ "RPM Magazine - September 30, 1978 - Page 33" (PDF).
  12. ^ "Jaarlijst 1978". Members.chello.ml. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  13. ^ "Billy Joel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  14. ^ "Billy Joel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  15. ^ Steffen Hung. "Billy Joel - She's Always A Woman". Austriancharts.at. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  16. ^ "British single certifications – Billy Joel – She's Always a Woman". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  17. ^ "American single certifications – Billy Joel – She's Always a Woman". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  18. ^ "John Lewis Ad 2010 - Fyfe Dangerfield 'She's Always A Woman'". YouTube. April 27, 2010. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  19. ^ "Fyfe Dangerfield covers Billy Joel – "She's Always a Woman" in John Lewis Ad - Band Weblogs - the Music Blog | Music News". Archived from the original on May 2, 2010. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  20. ^ "She's Always a Woman (Bonus Track): Fyfe Dangerfield: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  21. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  22. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  23. ^ "End Of Year Charts: 2010" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved May 8, 2019.

Read other articles:

Polusit

Artikel ini bukan mengenai Polusi. PolusitKristal tabular euhedral dari polusit yang tak berwarna, tembus cahaya dan berkilau dengan permukaan kristal buram dari Afghanistan (ukuran: 2,7 × 2,4 × 1,2 cm)UmumKategoriMineral zeolitRumus(unit berulang)Cs(Si2Al)O6 · nH2OSimbol IMAPol[1]Klasifikasi Strunz9.GB.05Klasifikasi Dana77.1.1.2Sistem kristalIsometrikKelas kristalHeksoktahedral (m3m) simbol H–M: (4/m 3 2/m)Grup ruangIa3dSel unita = 13,67 Å; Z = 16Id...

 

Kavaleri Romawi

Pemeraga sebagai prajurit berkuda Romawi. Kavaleri Romawi (bahasa Latin: equites Romani) merujuk kepada pasukan berkuda dalam angkatan darat Romawi yang bertugas di sepanjang berdirinya Romawi. kaveleri pertama adalah celeres semi-legendaris atau trossuli.ini adalah 300 orang penunggang kuda yang dimasukkan raja raja pertama roma ke dalam legiun,kemudian menambah jumlah mereka menjadi 600.mereka membawa tombak dan kuda mereka di hiasi cakram perak (phelerae).servius tullius raja ke-6 roma (57...

 

Joan Robinson

Pour les articles homonymes, voir Robinson. Joan RobinsonJoan Robinson dans les années 1920.BiographieNaissance 31 octobre 1903CamberleyDécès 5 août 1983 (à 79 ans)CambridgeNom dans la langue maternelle Joan Violet RobinsonNom de naissance Joan Violet MauriceNationalité britanniqueFormation St Paul's Girls' SchoolGirton CollegeUniversité de CambridgeActivités Économiste, professeure d’universitéPère Frederick Barton MauriceMère Margaret Helen Marsh (d)Fratrie Nancy Maurice...

1900 Republican National Convention

Political convention 1900 Republican National Convention1900 presidential election Nominees McKinley and RooseveltConventionDate(s)June 19–21, 1900CityPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaVenueConvention HallChairHenry Cabot LodgeCandidatesPresidential nomineeWilliam McKinley of OhioVice presidential nomineeTheodore Roosevelt of New YorkVotingTotal delegates926Votes needed for nomination464Results (president)McKinley (OH): 926 (100%)Results (vice president)Roosevelt (NY): 925 (99.9%)Abstaining: 1 (0.1...

 

Isfjord Radio

Radio station in Svalbard, NorwayIsfjord RadioRadio stationIsfjord RadioCoordinates: 78°03′08″N 13°36′04″E / 78.05222°N 13.60111°E / 78.05222; 13.60111CountryNorwayRegionSvalbardIslandSpitsbergenLand areaNordenskiöld LandEstablished13 November 1933 (1933-11-13)Founded byNorwegian Polar InstitutePopulation • Total0Time zoneUTC+1 (Central European Time) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (Central European Summer Time)Postal code9172P...

 

Pangkajene and Islands Regency

Regency in South Sulawesi, IndonesiaPangkajene & Islands Regency Kabupaten Pangkajene dan KepulauanRegency Coat of armsLocation within South SulawesiPangkajene & Islands RegencyShow map of SulawesiPangkajene & Islands RegencyShow map of IndonesiaCoordinates: 4°45′S 119°30′E / 4.750°S 119.500°E / -4.750; 119.500Country IndonesiaProvince South SulawesiCapitalPangkajeneArea • Total1,112.29 km2 (429.46 sq mi)Population (m...

Kembar jahat

Artikel ini sebatang kara, artinya tidak ada artikel lain yang memiliki pranala balik ke halaman ini.Bantulah menambah pranala ke artikel ini dari artikel yang berhubungan atau coba peralatan pencari pranala.Tag ini diberikan pada Oktober 2022. Kembar jahat adalah sebuah karakter antagonis yang ditemukan dalam beberapa genre fiksi berbeda. Mereka adalah salinan fisik dari protagonis, namun dengan sifat yang sangat berbeda. Dalam dunia hiburan, mereka dapat memiliki perbedaan fisik dengan prot...

 

Morgan Freeman

Morgan FreemanFreeman, 2018Lahir1 Juni 1937 (umur 86)Memphis, Tennessee, A.S.PendidikanBroad Street High SchoolPekerjaanAktorsutradaraprodusernaratorTahun aktif1964-sekarangOrganisasiRevelations EntertainmentSuami/istriJeanette Adair Bradshaw ​ ​(m. 1967; c. 1979)​Myrna Colley-Lee ​ ​(m. 1984; c. 2010)​Anak4Suara dari Morgan Freeman di Radio BBC, The Film Programme, pada 12 September, 20...

 

Post-glacial rebound

Rise of land masses after glacial period A model of present-day mass change due to post-glacial rebound and the reloading of the ocean basins with seawater. Blue and purple areas indicate rising due to the removal of the ice sheets. Yellow and red areas indicate falling as mantle material moved away from these areas in order to supply the rising areas, and because of the collapse of the forebulges around the ice sheets. This layered beach at Bathurst Inlet, Nunavut is an example of post-glaci...

Regionalliga Süd (1994–2012)

For other uses, see Regionalliga Süd (disambiguation). Football leagueRegionalliga SüdFounded1994Folded2012CountryGermanyState Bavaria Baden-Württemberg Hesse Rhineland-Palatinate (2000–2008) Saarland (2000–2008) Thuringia (2000–2004) Number of teams18Level on pyramidLevel 4Promotion to3. LigaRelegation to Bayernliga Hessenliga Oberliga Baden-Württemberg Oberliga Südwest Last championsStuttgarter Kickers (2011–12) The Regionalliga Süd (English: Regional League South) was the fou...

 

Sârbă

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Sârbă – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)Sîrba, Moldova A Sârbă (Moldovan spelling: sîrba; Cyrillic Moldovan: сырба) is a Romanian folk dance normally played in 68 or 128 time. The ...

 

دوري كرة القدم الإسكتلندي الدرجة الثانية 1978–79

يفتقر محتوى هذه المقالة إلى الاستشهاد بمصادر. فضلاً، ساهم في تطوير هذه المقالة من خلال إضافة مصادر موثوق بها. أي معلومات غير موثقة يمكن التشكيك بها وإزالتها. (نوفمبر 2019) دوري كرة القدم الإسكتلندي الدرجة الثانية 1978–79 تفاصيل الموسم دوري كرة القدم الاسكتلندي الدرجة الثانية...

مفوض النقل الأوروبي

يفتقر محتوى هذه المقالة إلى الاستشهاد بمصادر. فضلاً، ساهم في تطوير هذه المقالة من خلال إضافة مصادر موثوق بها. أي معلومات غير موثقة يمكن التشكيك بها وإزالتها. (نوفمبر 2019) مفوض النقل الأوروبي أدينا إيوانا فولان  [لغات أخرى]‏  عن المنصب المعين رئيس المفوضية الأوروبية...

 

تاريخ سوريا ولبنان وفلسطين

تاريخ سوريا ولبنان وفلسطين History of Syria: including Lebanon and Palestine معلومات الكتاب المؤلف فيليب حتي اللغة الإنجليزية  ترجمة المترجم الدكتور جورج حداد, عبد الكريم رافق تعديل مصدري - تعديل   تاريخ سوريا ولبنان وفلسطين (بالإنجليزية: History of Syria: including Lebanon and Palestine)‏ [1] هو كتاب كتبه في...

 

البطولات الفرنسية 1930 (كرة مضرب)

البطولات الفرنسية 1930 رقم الفعالية 35  البلد فرنسا  التاريخ 1930  الرياضة كرة المضرب  الفعاليات البطولات الفرنسية 1930 - فردي الرجال،  والبطولات الفرنسية 1930 - فردي السيدات  البطولات الفرنسية 1929  البطولات الفرنسية 1931  تعديل مصدري - تعديل   يفتقر محتوى هذه ال�...

Copa do Brasil de Futebol de 2023

XXXIV Copa do Brasil de Futebol Copa Betano do Brasil de 2023 Dados Participantes 92 Organização CBF Local de disputa Brasil Período 21 de fevereiro – 24 de setembro Gol(o)s 304 Partidas 122 Média 2,49 gol(o)s por partida Campeão São Paulo (1.° título) Vice-campeão Flamengo Melhor marcador 5 gols: Alef Manga (Coritiba) Lorran (Nova Mutum) Pedro (Flamengo) Tiquinho Soares (Botafogo) Maiores goleadas (diferença) Botafogo 7–1 BrasilienseEstádio Kleber Andrade, Cariacica15 de...

 

Global Stratotype Section and Point

Typlokalität der Anisium-Ladinium-Grenze, ein Kalkstein-Aufschluss bei Bagolino in den italienischen Alpen, rechts unten eine Nahaufnahme des „Golden Spike“. Die Basis des Ediacariums mit dem „Golden Spike“ (unten) in ihrer Typlokalität, ein Dolomit-Aufschluss am Enorama Creek, Flinderskette, Südaustralien Global Stratotype Section and Point (auch Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point, wörtlich „Profil und Punkt des weltweiten Grenz-Stratotypus“, kurz GSSP) ist die Beze...

 

Treasure EP.Fin: All to Action

Treasure EP.Fin: All to ActionSampul digitalAlbum studio karya AteezDirilis08 Oktober 2019 (2019-10-08)GenreK-popDurasi30:45BahasaKoreaLabelKQ EntertainmentProduserEdenKronologi Ateez Treasure EP.3: One to All(2019) Treasure EP.Fin: All to Action(2019) Treasure EP.Extra: Shift the Map(2020) Singel dalam album Treasure EP.Fin: All to Action WonderlandDirilis: 8 Oktober 2019 Treasure EP.Fin: All to Action adalah album studio pertama dari grup vokal pria asal Korea Selatan Ateez. Album ...

Natanz

City in Isfahan province, Iran For the administrative division of Isfahan province, see Natanz County. City in Isfahan, IranNatanz Persian: نطنزCityShrine Complex of Abd al Samad, built in 1304NatanzCoordinates: 33°30′26″N 51°54′49″E / 33.50722°N 51.91361°E / 33.50722; 51.91361[1]CountryIranProvinceIsfahanCountyNatanzDistrictCentralPopulation (2016)[2] • Total44,551Time zoneUTC+3:30 (IRST) Natanz (Persian: نطنز)[...

 

Declaración Schuman

Robert Schuman en 1949. La Declaración Schuman es el título con el que se conoce el discurso pronunciado por Robert Schuman, ministro de Asuntos Exteriores francés, el 9 de mayo de 1950. En la declaración se propone que una Europa unida puede contribuir a la paz mundial, a través de realizaciones concretas.[1]​ La Comisión Europea reconoce esta declaración como el nacimiento de la Unión Europea (UE),[2]​ al proponer que el carbón y el acero de Alemania (es decir, de la Re...